Spherical container with lid insert

ABSTRACT

A spherical container has a hemispherical base, a hemispherical lid and a lid insert. The base includes a collar with an upper rim that seals against the lid insert when the base and lid are secured together to help prevent the contents of the container from leaking out or flowing into the interior cavity of the lid.

RELATED APPLICATION

The present application is a continuation-in-part of the Applicants'co-pending U.S. Design Pat. Application Ser. No. 29/229,003, entitled“Hemispherical Cap With Insert,” filed on May 2, 2005.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to the field of containers forlip balm, sunblock and the like. More specifically, the presentinvention discloses a spherical container having a lid insert.

2. Statement of the Problem

A variety of spherical containers have been used for many years. Forexample, the present applicants have marketed spherical air freshenersunder the SNEAKER BALLS® and SPEEDBALL® trademarks for many years. Theseair fresheners include two hemispherical plastic shells that are joinedby a ring assembly with a number of openings that can be manually openedor closed to control the release of fragrance from within the airfreshener.

Spherical containers have an aesthetic or stylistic appeal due in partto the elegant simplicity of their external shape. However, thespherical shape has a significant drawback in that the container canroll freely and thereby creates an increased risk that the contents ofthe container will leak. Therefore, a need exists for a means ofaddressing this problem in spherical containers.

3. Solution to the Problem

None of the prior art references discussed above show a sphericalcontainer having a lid insert to prevent leakage of the contents of thecontainer. In addition, the lid insert can be used to display printedinformation for advertising or labeling.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention provides a spherical container having a hemisphericalbase, a hemispherical lid and a lid insert. The base includes a collarwith an upper rim that seals against the lid insert when the base andlid are secured together to help prevent the contents of the containerfrom leaking out or flowing into the interior cavity of the lid.

These and other advantages, features, and objects of the presentinvention will be more readily understood in view of the followingdetailed description and the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention can be more readily understood in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the container with the lid 20 separatedfrom the base 10.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the container with the lid 20separated from the base 10.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the assembled container.

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the lid 20 and lid insert 30.

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of the assembled container.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Turning to FIG. 1, an perspective view is provided of the container withthe lid 20 separated from the base 10. Both the base 10 and lid 20 aregenerally hemispherical in shape, so that the assembled container isgenerally spherical. For example, the base 10 and lid 20 can be moldedplastic shells.

The base 10 has an internal recess for holding sunblock, lip balm,insect repellent, cosmetics or the like 15. A collar 12 extends upwardaround the perimeter of the opening to the internal recess. In theembodiment depicted in the drawings, the collar 12 is threaded and hasan outside diameter that is slightly less than the outside diameter ofthe base 10.

The lid 20 also has an interior cavity 22, as shown in thecross-sectional view in FIG. 2, The interior cavity 22 has a generallycircular opening 24 to removably receive and secure the collar 12 of thebase 10 to the lid 10. In the preferred embodiment, the circular opening24 is threaded to engage the corresponding threads on the outside of thecollar 12 of the base 10. However, other means for attaching the lid 20to the base 10 could be substituted, such as a pin-and-slot mechanism ora frictional fit between the base 10 and lid 20.

Under normal use, the weight of the sunblock or lip balm in the base 10tends to keep the container in a generally upright position. However,the container does not always remain in a completely upright position,particularly if the container is stored in a handbag, purse or drawerwith a multitude of other objects that can tilt the container. Thiscreates a risk that the contents of the container can leak out throughthe seam between the lid and base.

The present invention addresses this problem by including a lid insert30, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. For example, the lid insert 30 can be acircular disk (e.g., a thin sheet of plastic or paper) that is placed inthe circular opening 24 of the lid 20 and seals the interior cavity 22.The circular peripheral edge of the lid insert 30 can be bonded orotherwise permanently attached to the surface of the interior cavity 22of the lid 20. The specific embodiment of the lid 20 shown in FIG. 2includes a flat annular lip above the threaded circular opening thatserves as a seat for the peripheral edge of the lid insert 30. However,other means could be used to attach the lid insert 30 within theinterior cavity 22 of the lid 20.

The upper rim of the collar 12 of the base 10 comes into contact withthe lower surface of the lid insert 30 as the base 10 and lid 20 aresecured together. Thus, the lower surface of the lid insert 30 creates aseal against the upper rim of the collar 12 of the base 10 when the base10 and lid 20 are threaded together, as illustrated in thecross-sectional view of the assembled container shown in FIG. 3. First,the lid insert 30 helps to prevent leakage of the contents from thecontainer through the seam between the lid 20 and base 10. Second, thelid insert 30 covers the interior cavity 22 of the lid 20 and therebyprevents the contents of the base 10 from migrating into the lid 20,which can be unsightly and create a mess when the container is opened.For example, many types of lip gloss and sun block melt easily and couldeither leak out of the container or run into the interior cavity 22 ofthe lid 20.

The embodiment of the lid insert 30 shown in the drawings has asubstantially planar lower surface. This facilitates printinginformation or other graphic material on the lower surface of the lidinsert 30, as shown for example in the bottom view depicted in FIG. 4.The lid insert 30 can serve as a place for labeling (e.g., requiredinformation about ingredients, or the sun-protection factor forsunblock), advertising, or the manufacturer's lot codes, etc.

It should be noted that the lid insert 30 could have any of a variety ofalternative shapes and configurations. For example, the lid insert 30could be shaped to partially or completely fill the interior cavity ofthe lid 20 (e.g., a curved lens shape). The lid insert 30 can beequipped with a peripheral flange to strengthen bonding to the interiorsurface of the lid 20. In addition, lower surface of the lid insertcould be curved, textured, or have any desired shape or contour.

The exterior of the container can also be decorated as shown in FIG. 5.The printed material on the lid insert 30 is not visible while thecontainer is closed, and thus does not detract from the desiredaesthetic appearance of the container.

The above disclosure sets forth a number of embodiments of the presentinvention described in detail with respect to the accompanying drawings.Those skilled in this art will appreciate that various changes,modifications, other structural arrangements, and other embodimentscould be practiced under the teachings of the present invention withoutdeparting from the scope of this invention as set forth in the followingclaims.

1. A container comprising: a generally hemispherical base having aninterior cavity for containing a substance and a collar with an upperrim; a generally hemispherical lid having an interior cavity and acircular opening to removably receive and secure the collar of the baseto the lid and thereby form a generally spherical container; and a lidinsert covering the interior cavity of the lid and removably sealingagainst the upper rim of the collar of the base when the base and lidare secured together.
 2. The container of claim 1 wherein the collar ofthe base and the circular opening of the lid are threaded to engage oneanother.
 3. The container of claim 1 wherein the lid insert furthercomprises a substantially planar surface extending across the interiorcavity of the lid and sealing against the upper rim of the collar of thebase.
 4. The container of claim 3 wherein the lid insert displaysprinted information.
 5. The container of claim 1 wherein the lid insertcomprises a circular disk.
 6. The container of claim 5 wherein of thelid insert is attached about its periphery to the interior cavity of thelid.
 7. A container comprising: a generally hemispherical base having aninterior cavity for containing a substance and a collar with an upperrim; a generally hemispherical lid having an interior cavity and acircular opening to removably receive and secure the collar of the baseto the lid and thereby form a generally spherical container; and asubstantially circular lid insert having a lower face removably sealingagainst the upper rim of the collar of the base when the base and lidare secured together, and said lid insert having a peripheral edgeattached to the interior cavity of the lid.
 8. The container of claim 7wherein the lid insert comprises a circular disk.
 9. The container ofclaim 7 wherein the lid insert displays printed information.
 10. Thecontainer of claim 7 wherein the collar of the base and the circularopening of the lid are threaded to engage one another.
 11. The containerof claim 7 wherein the lid insert further comprises a substantiallycontinuous lower surface extending across the interior cavity of the lidand sealing against the upper rim of the collar of the base.
 12. Acontainer comprising: a generally hemispherical base having an interiorcavity for containing a substance and a threaded collar with an upperrim; a generally hemispherical lid having an interior cavity and athreaded circular opening to removably engage the collar of the base tothe lid and thereby form a generally spherical container; and a lidinsert covering the interior cavity of the lid and having asubstantially planar lower surface sealing against the upper rim of thecollar of the base when the base and lid are secured together.
 13. Thecontainer of claim 12 wherein the lid insert comprises a circular diskhaving a peripheral edge attached to the interior cavity of the lid. 14.The container of claim 12 wherein the lid insert displays printedinformation.